Chapter 42
"For the love of God, where on are Earth are you taking me?" I huffed out in exasperation, earning a booming laugh from Adam.
"Calm down, Case. We've only been in this car for 10 minutes." It's true. But when you're being chewed on by the suspense and curiosity, 10 minutes feels like an eternity.
"Goddamit, just tell me already!" I threw up my hands in frustration and Adam chuckled once more. I know I'm acting like a brat but when your genes contained impatient and stubborn qualities, it was kind of impossible to sit quietly.
"Now where's the fun in that?" He teased and I glared jokingly at him, causing him to raise his hands in mock surrender. I cracked a smile.
"There it is!" Adam exclaimed when the smile made an appearance, startling me. The smile grew a teeny bit bigger at his stupid antics, suppressing a silent laugh.
"Shut up," I playfully shoved him and he caught my hand in his, a playful smirk plastered on his face as he kept his other hand on the steering wheel and his gaze on the road.
"Haven't you heard that it is dangerous to abuse the driver?" He taunted and I rolled my eyes for the umpteenth time that day.
A blush crawled up my cheeks and my whole face was flooded with warmth as he brought the back of my hands up to his face and grazed his lips on my knuckles.
My stomach felt like a zoo.
He averted his gaze from the road to my face and cracked up laughing once he saw the state I was in while I sat there gob smacked.
"You jerk! You did that on purpose!" I smacked his arm instinctively but that didn't cut his laughter short since he continued to laugh harder, hitting the steering wheel lightly. When he accidentally hit the horn, it was my turn to howl in laughter at his stunned state.
Eventually, our laughter ceased and we settled in a comfortable silence. "So..."
"Tell me about yourself." I murmured absentmindedly and he chuckled.
"What do you want to know?"
I thought hard, what do I want to know? I released my bottom lip that I didn't even realize I was gnawing on and decided to start small.
"When's your birthday?"
"14th of April."
"Favorite color?"
"Silver."
"Hobby?"
"Playing the guitar."
That one made me throw a curious glance which he caught He raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
I shook my head, a small smile dancing on my lips. "You just don't seem like the type of guy who plays music instruments."
He threw me a smug smirk, "I actually play the guitar, keyboard, bass and drum. Not to mention I used to be a vocalist in junior high."
Now that got me rethinking my skills.
I decided to act nonchalant and continue with my get-to- know-Adam plan. "Favorite band?"
He shrugged, "I don't have favorites." I nodded, too lazy to prod.
"Favorite movie?"
"Fast and Furious."
I smirked at that, it was one awesome movie.
I stared out the window, running out of questions but there was no need for any more because he deliberately announced that we arrived right after parking in front of a building that has ‘Ice- skating Arena' lighting in blue up on top of the building.
I gasped in excitement.
No. Way.
No. Fucking. Way.
Holy macaroons.
He did not.
I looked at Adam who had a twinkle in his eyes.
"You did not," I whispered, barely able to contain my excitement.
I used to love skating as a kid and Bryant used to take me here when it was ‘bonding time' as my mother would like to call it. We stopped coming after the seventh time though because it got boring and I wanted to try something new.
I didn't realize how much I've missed it up until I was standing right in front of it.
"Are you coming?" Adam's voice beckoned. It sounded far away but I managed to unconsciously nod while walking towards the entrance that I knew all too well.
A few things changed, the arrangement for the waiting seats was shifted and the building looked older but it still looked to be strong enough to stand on its own for a couple more decades.
Adam went to the counter first and got me my skates after I told him my size.
He passed me the skates and even then, I was still in a trance. Everything screamed memory. Good old times.
I took a seat and slipped on the skates, staring at the food stand that was still on the corner of the place, lighting up a board that showed a picture of hotdogs and nachos. It's been a long time and that got me rethinking. Would I still be able to keep my balance in the ice ring? Would I fall on my butt and humiliate myself?
But I knew, even as the questions were swirling and messing with my head, I knew that I was definitely going along with this. I was going to do this, despite the fact that everything was screaming for me to get out of the place before I land myself on my ass and turn beet red.
I miss skating. I miss gliding through the slick surface and carving faint lines with my skates. I miss the thrill I would feel everytime I sped up and the memories I made with Bryant in this arena was enough to get me hyped up.
Adam either didn't notice my mood shift or he was wise enough to not acknowledge it. Once I finished putting on the socks that Adam surprisingly snooped into his pockets and the skates he rented, I practically hauled him off the bench and dragged him to the entrance, ready to start gliding against the thick layer of ice.
When I was finally a step away from the border that separates the rubber covered tiles with the icy surface, I let go of Adam's wrist and reached out a trembling hand, taking hold of the rails that was built into the walls to help beginners learn how to skate properly.
I was shivering. The temperature of the ice arena had to be low for the ice not to melt and I was in a simple dress, which was luckily a turtle neck and long sleeved. The decision was not made because I was being a prude, it was simply because it's December and was almost freezing outside.
I gripped the cool wooden railing tightly and stepped a foot out, slowly putting pressure onto it. I swiftly reached out my another hand and pulled myself towards it with both feet already gliding on the ice.
I grinned up at Adam who was beaming at me and signaled me to scoot over. With one tug, he was right beside me, sliding gracefully around me. I gaped at his movements that seemed to be done effortlessly. He reached out a hand to me and I immediately shook my head, I'm not going to skate all the way to the middle, holding something that is mobile.
"Do you trust me?" He looked deep in my eyes and I found myself asking the same thing.
Do you trust him?
